Development
The SA-160 was developed from the Glastar by incorporating many significant changes to the basic design with the aim of simplifying construction and complying with certification requirements. The redesign work was completed by the engineering staff of Ostmecklenburgische Flugzeugbau (OMF Aircraft), (East Mecklenburg Aircraft Works Limited) of Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany between 1998 and 2000. The aircraft produced by OMF were sold under the designation OMF-100-160 Symphony. Later aircraft produced by Symphony Aircraft are designated Symphony SA-160.
The SA-160 has an aluminum wing design, utilizing a NASA GAW-2 Whitcomb airfoil. To simplify construction the wing has no washout and instead has two composite vortex generators of a unique design, outboard on each wing, to ensure that the inboard portion of the wing stalls first, thus retaining aileron control through the stall.
The wing is equipped with slotted Fowler flaps, which occupy 2/3 of the span. These deploy to 40 degrees and lower the stall speed by 9 knots to 51 knots (60 mph). The flaps are always set to 20 degrees for take-off. The ailerons are operated by control sticks and feature end-fences inboard and outboard for better slow speed and stall handling.
The fuselage is a 4130 welded steel tube cage covered in a non-structural fibreglass skin. The tail group is a mix of fibreglass fairings and aluminum surfaces.
The SA-160 is powered by a Lycoming O-320-D2A powerplant of 160 hp, driving a two-bladed wood fixed pitch MT propeller.
Symphony Aircraft continued the development started by OMF on a Thielert Centurion 1.7 diesel powered version, which OMF had designated as the OMF-100-135. The performance with the 135 hp engine was disappointing and the project was shelved in 2005.
Standard VFR avionics include a Garmin GNC 250XL GPS/COMM and GTX 320A Transponder The IFR avionics package consists of a Garmin 430 GPS/COMM, a 420 GPS/COMM and a Garmin GTX 327 transponder. The engine instruments are a Vision Microsystems VM 1000.
The landing gear is of a tricycle configuration with all three wheels mounted on steel sprung gear legs. The nosewheel is free castering and the aircraft is steered with differential braking. The brakes are mounted conventionally on the rudder pedal toes.
Prior to Symphony's bankruptcy, plans for the design included a 180 hp version to be called the SA-180 and a floatplane or amphibious floatplane version.
Read more about this topic: Symphony SA-160
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